Conditioning apparatus



June 18, 1940. w. N. BRAY `coNDI'IIoNING APPARATUS Filed sept. 27, 1957 Figzl.

Patented June is, 1940 2,204,656

`UNITED STATESWPATENT OFFICE CONDITIONING APPARATUS William Neil Bray, Leicester,.England, assignor `to United Shoe MachineryCol-poration, Borough of Flemington, N. J., a` corporationof New` Jersey Application September 27,1937, Serial No; 165,813 In Great Britain November 12, 1936 13 Claims.

corporating them in shoes. I. .It is the usual practice to stiften the toe ends vof shoes by inserting a stiffening member known as aboxtoe between the upper and the lining,

the stiffener having rst been conditioned by .heat or by a suitable softening medium. I-Iowever, in the case of certain types of shoes such as sandals, and particularly stitchdown or Veldtschoen sandals, in Whichthe margin of the upper is turned outwardly and is secured uponuthe. upper surface of the sole, no lining is employed. Instead of using the ordinary box toe vto stiften the toe portions of such sandals, a stiffening agent may be applied in liquid form. I`

have found it preferable in such work, however, to useazstiffener of solid sheet material such as Celluloid of, for example, about %0U0 of an inch :in thickness and having formed over its entire area perforations of about 1/20 of an inch or thereabouts in diameter, the centers of which are spaced about 1160i an inchapart. Box toe pieces of the required dimensions may be cut from such material and dipped in .a conditioning liquid, for example acetone, to soften them and also .to render them adhesive.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus suitable for conditioning shoe stiffeners and particularly for conditioning stili- `eners of the character above described. For a `.proper understanding of the conditions which must be met by such a machine it may be noted that a conditioning liquid such as acetone is both highly volatile and inflammable and must therefore be prevented from escaping into the atmosphere.` Furthermore, for reasons which `willlater be pointed out, the extent to which the work piece should be softened is critical and in- `volves accurate timing of the duration of immersion.` In addition to meeting these require- .ments the machine should also be `simple in construction and easy to operate.

l'The illustrated apparatus, which was constructed in view of the above-mentioned considerations, )comprises a work holder movable by the `operator between `work-treating and loading or unloading positions through an opening formed in a receptacle for a volatile conditioning medium, which opening is normally closed by a yieldable `memberadapted to be opened by the work holder (o1. en -46) in moving out of the receptacle and to close automatically to prevent the escape of vapor when the work holder moves into Work-treating positionwithin the receptacle. The Work holder illustrated herein, in, accordancewith a further LB feature of the invention, is provided with a plate for closing theabove-mentioned opening when the work holder is in loading or unloading position partiallyoutside the receptacle.

These and other features of the invention will l0 now` be described as embodied in an illustrated machine and pointed out in the appended claims, .reference being had to the accompanying draW- ing,v in which Y Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation and partlyin i5 section of the apparatusabove referred to;

Fig. 2 is `a front View, also partly in section, of the same apparatus; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a work-holding grid of the apparatus. yw50 Referring now to the drawing, the dipping apparatus comprises a casing Il) having an opening I2 in its front wall. A cover I4 is provided for the opening I2. The cover I4 opens outwardly, being hinged upon a pintle I8 carried byzg5 the casing IU adjacent to the lower edge of the cover. The `base of the'casing is closed by a removable trough E@ held by pivoted bolts and wing nuts 2| and connected to a barometric feed device, comprising a reservoir 22 which has an `30 opening projecting downwardly within a tray 24. A pipe 26 connects the trough 20 with the tray 24, and thus maintains a constant level of the liquid in the trough. At one side of the casing I0 the trough 2B is extended laterally to form 135 a well 28 in which a brush 30, provided with a lid 32 to close the top of the well, is housed. C'arried at the lower end `of a rod 34, which is conveniently of square cross section `and which extends through an aperture in asliding plate 36 40 which closes the top of the casing, is a work holder in the form of a framework 38 of wire (Fig. 3) composed of two grids 4I), 42, one above the other, connected together by a strip 44 which closes the" back and the sides of the space be-45 tween the grids. Carried by the grids is a plate v46 which, as shown in Fig. 1, acts to close the opening I2 in the casing when moved against the front wall thereof. The plate 46 has an opening through which `the grids 4|] and 42 extend for- .50 wardly and rearwardly.

The grids 4I] andr42 have each a gap in their mid-portions to facilitate the placing between and removal from the space `between the grids of `work pieces by the operator, a corresponding A. u

notch being formed in the cover I4 (Fig. 2) for the same purpose. The rod 34` is pivoted at its upper portion which extends outside of the casing I0 to the front end of a lever 48. The upper end portion of the rod 34 is formed as a handle. The lever 48 is pivoted midway of its length to a standard 50 upon which the casing I8 is iixed. The rear end of the lever 48 is connected to a hydraulic check device including a cylinder 52 and piston 54. A tension spring 56 tends to hold thev front end of the lever 48, the

shaft 34 and the work holder 38 raised. The4 shaft 34 is provided with an oifset weight 58 which tends to swing the work holder 38 outwardly through the opening VI2 in the wall of the casing in position for a blank to be removed from or placed between the grids. The movement of the work holder, however, is controlled by a cam plate 60 xed inside the casing I0 with which contacts a roll 62 carried on the shaft 34. The cam plate 60 isshaped to prevent the Work holder yfrom being swung forwardly while the -bar 34 is in lowered position for dipping Work pieces in the liquid in the trough 20.

bar 34 has been raised by the tilting of the lever 48. under the tension of the spring 5B the cam plate 4El! then permits the work holder to swineV forwardly, but it prevents lowering of the work holder until the Work holder has been swung back again to a position over the trough 2l). A s vhas been indicated, the `tension spring 56 tends to maintain therod 34 and Work holder 38 raised and when in this position the work holder, under the v influence of the counterweight 58, pushes the hinged cover I4 open, as shown in Fig. l, theplate 48 then contacting with the inside `face of the frontlwall and maintaining the interior of the casing closed against evaporation of the Vsoftening liquid. The forward movement of the work holder is limited by an adjustable stop screwy 88 threaded through the casing I0 and engageable withthe rod 34. ll'he slide 36 maintains the top of the casing closed despite movement of the rod 34. y

The operation of the above described conditioning -apparatus to soften articles such as shoe stiffeners/of sheet Celluloid or of like material will now be explained. The apparatus normally comes to rest with the Work holder 38 in its raised position as shown in Fig. l and projecting through the opening I2 in the front wall of the casing I8. A fresh dry stiifener is placed by hand between the grids 40 and lill of the work holder, a softened stiffener being first removed if the'apparatus has previously `been in operation. The work holder 38 is neXt withdrawn into the casing by pulling upon the handle at the upper end of the rod 34 and the rod is thenfdepressed, against the pull of the spring 56, moving the grids and stiffener down into thefliquid in the trough 28. During this movement liquid in the cylinder 52 flows freely through a one-way valve 64 in the piston 54 from theupper part of the cylinderinto the part below the piston.`

Directly the work holder fhas been fully depressed the rod 34 is l.released by the operator and 'the hydraulic'check controls the speed of descent of the'piston 54 and of rising of the work holder, an -adjustableyalve 88 controlling the return iiow of liquid throughI a by-pass 68 connecting the spaces within the cylinder above and lbelow the 'pistoni An intermediate port I8 connecting the "by-pass 88 with the' cylinder allows free transfer offliquid during the last portion of rise of the 'Wo'rkholder and thus enables thework holder to After the move up quickly after the stiifener4 carried by it has been lifted clear of the conditioning liquid in the trough 20. As the rod 34 and work holder 38 reach their highest positions the weight 58 causes the work holder 38 to push the cover I4 open and present a so-ftened stiifener conveniently for removal.

The timing of dipping of the stiffeners has an important bearing upon their subsequent aflixation to the inside surfaces of the shoe uppers, it being most desirable to have the stiifeners softened only so far as to allow of their being handled, and without being jellied to such an extent vas to stick to the fingers of the operator, to lose their outlines, or to break up when being taken from the apparatus and subsequently handled. A stiffener thus softened is transferred promptly by hand to and laid in proper position upon the inside, usually flesh, surface of an upper (assumed to be of leather) and lightly pressed thereon. More softening fluid is now brushed over the stiffener by means of the brush above mentioned. The already softened condition of thestiiener and thev fact of its being perforated enable it quickly to absorb more liquid. Upon thus taking up' suincient of the extra solvent that has been brushed upon it the stifener promptly fully jellifles and adheres firmly to the upper, becoming entangled to a large extent in the fibres which are always present to a greater or less degree on the flesh or inside surfaces of leather uppers, and becoming quickly and firmly keyed to the upper by the jellii'lcation of the material at its margins as well as at the perforations.

The exposed surface of a stiffener thus jellified upon an upper will normally become non-adherent again in a very few seconds, thus allowing the upper with the still limp stiffener to behandled or put away in contact with others promptly without detriment. When the upper is to beaconformed to a last the celluloid layer, ifit has become hard, can again be softened A'by a brief brushing on of solvent and any liabilityof its sticking.y to the last may be guarded against by greasing the necessary partof the last with pe troleum jelly oiythe like. The timing of dipping by the apparatus described may easily be varied to suit any particulargrade of Celluloid by setting the adjustable valve 66. A dipping period of ten seconds more orless is ordinarily desirable, as it allows of. a softened stiffener being placed upon an upper and treated for full jellification while a succeeding stiffener is being softened in the apparatus.

,Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: l

l. A conditioning apparatus comprising Aa trough for a conditioning liquid, a work holder, a lever carrying saidwork holder, a fulcrum for up anddowntilting movement of said lever to enable articles on said work holder to be dipped into and to be removed from conditioning liquid in saidl trough, a pivotal connection between said work holder and said lever arranged for swinging movement of said work holder between a normal position offset from said trough for load-- ing` and unloading said work holder and a position above the conditioning liquid in said trough,and a handle on said work holder arranged to enable the operator after loading the work holder with articles to be conditioned to' 'swing thel work holder from 1normal position to-,ai` position over said trough and then to lower 'the loaded work holderinto the conditioning liquid in the trough.

2. A conditioning apparatus comprising a re--l ceptacle for a conditioning medium, a work holder movable between a position for loading and un-I loading from withoutsaid receptacle and a Work--y treating position inside of said receptacle, said receptacle having an opening through which said work holder is movable, and a yieldable closureA for said opening constructed and arranged to be opened by said work holder in moving toward loading and unloading positionand to close automaticaly when the work holder moves into work-treating position. i

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 provided with a plate on said work holder constructed and arranged to close said opening as the work holder moves into said loading and unloading positon.

4. A conditioning apparatus comprising a trough for a volatile conditioning liquid, a casing for preventing the escape into the atmosphere of vapor from said liquid, said casing havI ing a front wall in which is formed an opening, a work holder, and supporting mechanism for said work `holder constructed and arranged to enable said work holder to be moved through said openf` `ing between apositon for loading and unloadingl from without said receptacle and a work-treating position wherein articles loaded on the holder are immersed in conditioning liquid in said trough.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 provided with` an automatic closure for said opening constructed and arranged'to yield open when engaged by said work holder in moving toward loading and unloading position.

V6. A conditioning apparatus comprising a trough for a volatile conditioning liquid, a casing for preventing the escape into the atmosphere of vapor from said liquid, said casing having a frontwall in which is formed an opening,

a. work holder, a lever carrying said work holder, a fulcrum for up and down tilting movement oi' said lever to enable articles on said work holder to be dipped into and to be removed from conditioning liquid in said trough, a pivotal connection between said work holder and said lever arranged for swinging movement of said work holder through .said opening between a position i for loading and unloading from without said casing and a position above the `conditioning liquid in the trough, and means for moving said work holder between loading and unloading position and dipping position. n 7. Apparatus according to claim 6 provided with a guide constructed and arranged to prevent substantial tilting movement of saidlever toward dipping position except when the workholder is over the trough and to prevent the work holder phere of vapor from said liquid, said casing hav-V i ing a front wall and a top wall, each of said walls having an opening, a work holder, a lever outsideoi said casing, an arm extending upwardly through said opening in said top wall, a pivotal connection between said arm and said lever arranged for swinging movement of the work holder through said opening in said front wall betweenl i a position for loading and unloading from without said receptacle and a position above the con, ditioning liquid in the trough, and a fulcrum for up and down tilting Inovement of said lever to enable articles on said workholder to be dipped into and to be removed from conditioning liquid in said trough, said armbeing constructed and arranged to serve as a handle whereby the work holder may be moved from loading and unloading position to dipping position.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 provided with yieldable means for automatically returning the work holder 'from dipping position to loading and unloading position.

l1. Apparatus according to claim 9 provided with yieldable means for automatically returning the work holder from dipping position to loading i and unloading position, and witha one-way i checking device for retarding the initial portion of` such return movement to insure sufficient ex-` posure to the conditioning liquid.

12. Apparatus according to claim 9 provided with a cover for the opening in the top wall of the casing, said cover having an opening through which the arm of the work holder is freely mov-` able and being slidable on the casing forwardly.

- and rearwardly with the swinging of the arm to` maintain the opening in the top Wall of the cas-y ing effectively closed for all positions of the arm.

13. Apparatus accordingto claim 9 provided with means for guiding the work holder between loading and unloading position and dipping po,`

sition.

l WILLIAM NEIL BRAY.l 

